Brainstorming

When to use it

Brainstorming is probably the best-known creative tool. It can thus be
used in most groups, although you will probably have to remind them of the
rules.

It is best done using an independent facilitator who manages the
process (so the group can focus on the creative task).

Typically takes around 30 minutes to an hour. Can be shorter or
longer, depending on the difficulty of the problem and the motivation of
the group.

Quick

X

Long

Logical

X

Psychological

Individual

X

Group

How to use it

Prepare the group

Although brainstorming is one of the oldest and most recognised
creative tools, although surprisingly few people know Alex Osborn's
original four rules, so do remind them (see next section).

Define the problem

Describe the problem for which ideas are wanted and ensure everyone
understands it. It is very easy for people to head off in the wrong
direction.

A good way of doing this is to write it down on a flipchart page and
tape it to the wall.

Generate ideas

Ideas are now created and collected. This is usually done by people
calling them out and the facilitator or scribe writing them down on a
flipchart. This person should ideally be someone who can write both
legibly and fast, as they need to keep up with the torrent of ideas.

It is useful for all ideas to remain visible to help trigger further
ideas, so when the flipchart page is full, rip it off and tape it to the
wall where everyone can see them.

All people should remember and follow the four rules of Brainstorming,
as below. The facilitator should step in if any of these are broken.

No criticism or debate, which are convergent activities and
can inhibit people from giving ideas.

Quantity over quality, because quality assessment is also
convergent. It has also been shown that the best ideas arrive
unpredictably spread out over time.

Freewheel, which means using one idea as a stimulus for the
next. Like the 'Random word' tool, this helps you out of 'stuck rut'
thinking, leading you in unexpected directions. It also encourages
people to think about each others ideas.

Mutate and Combine, where 'Mutate' means to deliberately
distort and modify existing ideas and 'Combine' means to deliberately
try to build new ideas from combinations of existing ones. Again, these
helps you out of ruts and makes people work better together.

Wild ideas are just fine in most brainstorming sessions. They keep
things moving, stimulate deeper thinking and can lead to other ideas that
may just work.

When facilitating this, ensure everyone follows the rules - it is very
easy to get bound up in your own ideas - and also that all people
can contribute. Watch the quiet ones in the corner - they often are the
people who come up with really good thoughts that, if others hear, can
lead to even better ideas.

When ideas start to wane, you can take a break and start again or move
to reducing the list to those which will be taken forward.

Reduce ideas

Separate from idea generation is idea reduction. Sometimes this
is best done another time, another day or even by another group. Usually,
however, it is done immediately after the idea creation session.

There are a number of ways of reducing ideas such as everyone voting
for favourites or just discussing and seeing what comes to the surface.

Example

Problem: How to reduce road accidents

Jim: Less cars

Joan: Less people

Jill: Teach people to be careful

Jack: Teach drivers to be careful

Jim: Make drivers more careful

Jill: Put dead people in the road

Jennifer: Put policemen at every junction

Jack: Put cameras at every junction

Joan: Put cameras in every car

...

How it works

Brainstorming works when people use each other's ideas to trigger their
own thinking. Our minds are highly associative, and one thought easily
triggers another. If we use the thoughts of others, then these will stop
us getting trapped by our own thinking structures.

Giving out half-thought-out ideas or strange suggestions is normally
socially frowned on and leads to people holding back in normal situations.
Brainstorming deliberately gives permission to be 'stupid' and
'child-like'.